Ovc

When Lindsey Rankin first met Eastern Kentucky University women's golf coach Joni Stephens two years ago at camp, she knew she wanted to play on her team. She just didn't know if she had the talent. "She (Stephens) runs the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) Camps that I went to with Mrs. Pence (Lincoln coach Jackie Pence) and I got to know her there and I knew I wanted to play at Eastern," Rankin said. "I just never really knew if I could actually play Division I golf. " Stephens apparently thought she could.

RICHMOND ? The Eastern Kentucky University athletics department unveiled its all-century football team at a luncheon last week, with more than 200 attending the event, including 12 of the 24 players and the coach selected to the prestigious team. The team features former George Rogers Clark standout and current Miami Dolphins defensive back Yeremiah Bell. The team is made up of two running backs, two wide receivers, one quarterback, one tight end, one punter and place kicker, three linebackers, four defensive backs, four defensive linemen and five offensive linemen.

If you don't believe in perseverance and competing for the pure love of a sport, then stop reading. This column will not be for you. If you like a success story and knowing what competing for the right reasons can do for a young athlete, then keep reading. Shannon Miller was a talented athlete during her Boyle County High School career. She played soccer and ran track before also adding cross country to her resume her senior year. She was not the best runner Boyle has ever had. She might not have even been the best during her career.

For the first time in 25 years, Morehead State will make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The last Eagles team to play in the tournament was a squad coached by Wayne Martin in 1984. Martin guided the Eagles to back-t-back-appearances from 1983-84. Martin, now general manager of WKYT-TV Channel 27 in Lexington, shared his thoughts on Morehead's accomplishments with sports editor Keith Taylor recently. What are your thoughts on Morehead State winning the OVC Tournament?

RICHMOND - The Eastern Kentucky University football team will make its first appearance in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs for the first time in a decade this weekend. The Colonels (9-2) will travel to Richmond on Saturday, with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. Eastern (9-2, 8-0 OVC), ranked No. 12, will be making its record 18th playoff appearance. The Colonels have also appeared in the FCS playoffs in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1997.

Hank Aaron looks as though he could still smash a baseball from home plate to the seats in center field. Day-by-day, Aaron's mark of 755 home-run mark stands on the brink of being broken by San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds. Even though Aaron has been retired from baseball for more than two decades, one must wonder if Aaron still has some pop left in his swing? As Bonds nears his prestigious record, maybe Hank could come out of retirement for a couple of weeks and slug some more home runs to put a little distance between himself and Bonds.

RICHMOND - Adam Leonard would have loved the chance to play for Roy Williams. Playing against him might be the next best thing. The Eastern Kentucky freshman grew up as a fan of Williams' Kansas teams, and now he'll line up against Williams' North Carolina team when the Colonels and Tar Heels play Thursday in the NCAA Tournament. The pairing of those two teams in an East Regionl first-round game in Winston-Salem, N.C., holds a special attraction for Leonard, who has long held Williams in high regard.

Leonard Coulter is being remembered both as one of this area's most accomplished high school athletes and as someone who stood out in other ways as well. Coulter, who earned all-state and All-America recognition in two sports at Danville High School, died Wednesday in Louisville. He was 57. Coulter died at a Louisville nursing home, according to David Cottrell, his basketball coach at Danville. Coulter was an all-state basketball and football player at Danville, starred in basketball at Morehead State University and later became a high school basketball coach.

This Friday, five more players will join the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include Bob Talamini of the University of Kentucky, Dale Lindsey of Western Kentucky University, Phil Simms of Morehead State University, Rod Hill of Kentucky State University, and Kerry Rhodes of the University of Louisville. The five will be inducted at the Lexington Opera House on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Talamini Talamini, a native of Louisville, played in the NFL for nine seasons.

Perhaps it's only fitting that Cassandra Peek will be playing her final regular-season college basketball game at Eastern Kentucky Saturday. Peek, the starting point guard at Austin Peay, burst on the area girls high school basketball scene a decade ago as a middle school player. She went on to become one of the area's best all-time players and she'll end her college career as one of only three Austin Peay players to have made 100 3-pointers and handed out 300 assists in her career.